What to Expect on the Day of Your Presentation
Note: All presentations that provided consent will be recorded and uploaded with printed presentation online.
Step 1: Presenters should find their session schedule from the conference program online at https://scs.org/summersim/ and connect at least 15 minutes before their scheduled presentation time slot using the link provided in the email sent to you as a registered attendee.
Step 2: Using the presentation link mentioned above, the presenter should ideally be present during the entire session and must provide their full name on Zoom to make sure that the session chair can easily spot them. If there is a different name or nickname, a participant can rename his/her name after connecting.
Step 3: Presenters should be visible to all people attending the session, so testing your camera and audio before the day of the event is advised.
Step 4: Once it is the presenter’s allocated time slot, the session chair will call the presenter’s name and give the green light to start. Then, the presenter should share their screen using the green button located in the lower middle on Zoom. As a presenter, you have the option to share the entire screen or just the presentation application (e.g., PowerPoint).
Step 5: If this is a regular paper presentation, the presenter will have an 18-minute time slot. The presenter should spend the first 14 minutes for their live presentation without questions, and the last 4 minutes will be devoted to Q/A moderated by session chairs. (Please keep track of your time and practice your presentation before hand to keep within the time limit). All presentation times are provided on the SCS website within the program at scs.org/springsim.
Step 6: When the 18-minute time slot ends, the presenter will need to stop sharing their screen, the session chair will end the screen share at the designated time if the presentation is running over.
Step 7: If presenter would like to further discuss their paper or other papers, there are slack rooms available. They are listed on the website and within the email; you received of the Zoom link.
How to Give Great Virtual Presentation
Suggestions for presenting on the video platform Zoom, to driving engagement with questions, and tips for powerful virtual presentations. Please visit https://www.zoom.us/resources for videos and prior to the meeting go to https://zoom.us/download#client_4meeting to allow you to join a meeting without downloading any software. How to videos for zoom are also located here https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/206618765-Zoom-Video-Tutorials
1. Practice Your Virtual Presentation (Twice)
Do not let the first time you use your presentation technology (audio tools, webinar software, etc.) be in front of your audience. Grab a friend, family member, or coworker to do a dry run.
Record yourself presenting in Zoom from start to finish (no stopping to fix something). Watch the recording later and make improvements. Do it again.
2. Consider Using a Virtual Background
Spotty Wi-Fi with an unprofessional background and a poorly lit face can damage your presentation.
Check what is visible in your camera background before you start.
Make use of virtual backgrounds. What you think of as an innocuous background can be extremely distracting to your audience. Zoom’s virtual backgrounds can be used.
Pay attention to your lighting (and do not forget how this changes throughout the day!) Too much light from behind leaves you featureless, so be sure to have good even lighting from the front. Check that you are lit from the front, not from behind
3. Minimize Distractions… And Unnecessary Tabs
Turn off your notifications. All of them. MacOS has a Do Not Disturb mode that is useful.
Pets can be a big distraction, and you may want to isolate yourself from them.
Only share the minimum necessary applications, close any tabs that you do not need for the presentation. If you have to share your whole desktop, remove anything that lives there and set a neutral background.
Check that you are looking straight at the camera and your video feed is framing the upper part of your torso and your head. Look directly into the camera and not down at your notes or screen.
Prepare some drinking water and set a timer.
4. Share Your Screen
Make sure you know how your computer full screen works before your presentation.
If you haven’t shared your screen on Zoom before, make at least one practice share because Zoom will require certain permissions to be given. In this way, you will not waste time during your actual presentation.
Check your bandwidth if you have any reason to suspect it is low.
Keep slides simple and clean.
Provide a good introduction and conclusion.
5. Test Your Audio, and Test it Again
Adding a microphone is better than your computers audio, suggestions are, Blue Yeti or Antlion Wireless ModMic.
“Check your sound. Zoom has a test function for this.
Always have a Plan B for audio. Your phone, headset, internal microphone are all good options.
Zoom has new features to cancel background noises from your microphone. If you do not see it, you may need to update the Zoom app.
6. Use Large Font Size
Present off the lowest resolution display you have.
Always assume that you need to make your text bigger. If you are sharing code or your command line, check your text color, background color, and font size. If you are not sure, ask a friend to check. In addition, if you have an opportunity to add a little personality with your background or color.
7. Schedule Time for Virtual Q&A
Presenting to a camera can feel lonely. If possible, build in a way for the audience to interact-chat, question & answer, and breakout rooms are all great options.
8. Look Directly at the Camera
Present as if you are talking to a person, not your camera.
Make sure you are making eye contact with the camera. Do not have your camera at one angle and looking at another angle.
Put your speaker notes or participant video as close to your camera as possible.
9. Backup Plan
If you know you will have spotty Wi-Fi, you can prepare a backup presentation to use.
10. Set Yourself up for Success
Audio and video quality make a big difference.
